Michael Keaton was by far the best Batman. However, Christian Bale is in the best Batman movies. Imagine Michael Keaton (in his younger years) as the lead in Batman Begins and Dark Knight. Give the man some credit, he WAS Batman... Bale is just lucky.

I disagree. I liked Michael Keaton as BATMAN, but he was a horrible Bruce Wayne. Bale does really good at bringing out both, particularly with the central theme of both Batman movies that Bruce Wayne is the real mask. Bale captures the darkness of the character, the rage and the desperation, better than anyone else yet. Also, the approach to Batman is different. Michael Keaton was much more rigid than Bale is. Bale's Batman is more fluid, more shadowy (the way I like him), which wasn't very much like Michael Keaton at all.

Keaton, hands down. He played a distracted and slightly brooding bruce Wayne. Emphasis on the distracted. Unable to focus on anything but the bat except in the most temporary ways. Bale just broods, and that's batmans job.

Bale's Bruce Wayne was spot on. I loved the way he presented himself as a party boy to protect his identity. Bruce Wayne is supposed to brood. He's a very troubled man.

Tim Burton's Batman films have not aged well. They were comedies, and the actors played their roles broadly. I admit to being a huge fan on those movies when they were new, but now they just seem dated. Part of that is has to do with Tim Burton's art direction. His style has become so predictable, obvious and pedestrian that it's lost it's former quirky charm.

I will, however, second the Animated Series as the best depiction of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Of all the various interpretations, the cartoon best captured the spirit of the character.